Vodafone retail chief Martin Roberts to depart

Martin Roberts, Vodafone head of retail and online, is leaving the company, Mobile has learnt.

Sources say his successor is a senior executive from Dixons Carphone. Roberts, who joined in January this year, will leave by the end of the year. He was in an interim role on a one year contract. It is unclear where Roberts is headed.

Roberts joined with a brief to manage Vodafone’s biggest store roll out in a decade. Under the strategy, launched last year, Vodafone planned to roll out another 150 stores as part of wider plans to increase its high street presence to around 500 stores. The strategy was fast tracked after Vodafone acquired 130 Phones 4u stores, following the retailer's demise this autumn.

Roberts also oversaw the creation of Vodafone’s new format stores and led the introduction of a new selling strategy and the use of tablets to improve customer experience.

His departure comes as Vodafone completes the transition of all 130 Phones 4u stores, opening its 500th store, which was formerly Phones 4u’s North Finchley store, on 13 November.

Roberts joined from DIY retailer Wickes, where he held the role of retail director with responsibility for Wickes’ 225 stores. Roberts also worked at Sainsbury’s for six years, where his roles included director of retail change for Sainsbury’s supermarket division from May 2006 to April 2008 and head of retail distribution at Sainsbury’s Bank for two years to May 2010.